Gotta go through us first
by pistonsfan75
Summary: 1200 citizens of twelve and thirteen tightly stood guard around Prim, arms locked. "If you want Prim, you'll have to go through us first. We're fighting this war so children won't be sent to the arena every year. You want to send a thirteen year old with no military training to war. That's no different." One-shot. T for language. My 1st HG fic.
It was two weeks since squad 451 had left for the Capital. Peeta had joined them only three days before.

Haymitch had not been in favor of sending Peeta to the Capital. It put Katniss in danger, because he was bound to have flashbacks of his hijacking. Peeta still had moments of believing she was a mutt he needed to kill. He also knew that apart from Katniss, he knew Peeta better than anyone else here. They were the only family Peeta had now.

Haymitch had argued with Coin and Plutarch for over four hours about why Peeta shouldn't go. He felt like he may as well have been arguing with a stone wall. They didn't consider any of his concerns.

Finally, Haymitch sought the help of Dr. Aurelius. He agreed with the mentor, but his hands were tied. Without divulging much detail, the doctor as much as told him he'd been threatened into signing off on Peeta's departure.

There was a meeting in Command again, so Haymitch made his way there, dreading what new nefarious scheme Coin had cooked up. He was starting to see the dark side of district thirteen's president. She was not all that different from Snow.

Haymitch sat down, wishing for a bottle of white liquor but settling for water. What he heard made his blood boil and his head spin. A team of medics was being sent to the Capital to assist injured rebels and citizens. Among those being deployed was thirteen year old Primrose Everdeen.

Haymitch could not have been more shocked had President Coin announced that Snow was her lover. He slammed his fist on the table and jumped to his feet. "Why would you send a child, only thirteen, into the heat of battle?"

Coin stared at him with her cold grey eyes. "She is one of our best medics and the rebels need her."

"Prim is only thirteen. She needs to stay here and go to school. She's not even old enough to train as a soldier yet, and you want to send her to the front lines. I think I can safely say I speak for Katniss that she would not want Prim to go."

"Mr. Abernathy, the medics are not at the front lines, they are at the back of the line treating the wounded. Prim herself wants to go." Coin's voice had a condescending tone to it, which fueled the fire even more. Haymitch would be damned if he would allow her to talk down to him.

"Prim does not fully understand the danger. Have you even spoken to her mother about this?"

"Lily Everdeen will understand the need for as many medics as possible in the Capital."

"Will understand? So you haven't talked to her mother. She's already had to watch Katniss in the arena twice and now sent her off to fight in the Capital. There's no way she's going to allow you to put her other daughter in harm's way as well."

"Perhaps she won't have a choice, then."

"You would send Prim without her mother's approval?"

"Yes. It's for the good of everyone."

"No, it's for the good of you."

"Mr. Abernathy, this conversation is over. You are dismissed."

Haymitch stood stunned for a moment. Prim was being sent to the Capital without her mother's knowledge or permission. There was no way he was going to allow this to happen.

"No, this conversation is not over."

Haymitch left command and went straight to the Everdeen's apartment and knocked on the door. Lily opened it. Prim was inside.

"Haymitch… What's going on?"

"We need to talk, Lily."

Her hand flew to her mouth and she went pale. "What happened to Katniss?"

"It's not Katniss, it's Prim. Coin wants to send her to the Capital with the next group of medics."

"No. Absolutely not. She's only thirteen, just a child."

"Mom, I want to go."

"No, Prim, that's not happening. You are staying here and that's final."

"They're planning to send her without even telling you until after she leaves."

Lily's eyes narrowed and her jaw and fists clenched. "I am her mother! I say she's not going. I don't care if she wants to go. She's too young. I'm not going to stand by and allow them to put a second daughter of mine in so much danger."

"I know. I argued against it the best I could, but it fell on deaf ears. There is one thing we may be able to do. They are leaving at 0600 tomorrow. If we got every citizen of twelve to form a barricade around her, they won't be able to force her to go."

"Yes. We should do that. Let's start with the Hawthornes. If only Gale were here. He would feel the same way."

Together, Haymitch and Lily walked to where Gale's family stayed. As expected, Hazelle was as livid as they were. She, Vick and Rory offered to help spread the word.

Within an hour, all of the citizens of twelve and many from thirteen were in on the plan. At 0530, they would all assemble in the dining room, with Prim in the middle. Coin would have to go through all of them.

Everyone loved Prim. Johanna had once predicted that if anyone tried to hurt Prim, there would be riots in the damn Capital. This was the equivalent, only it was underway in thirteen. No one ever dreamed Prim would be in danger here.

Haymitch was able to get a call through to Gale, under the guise of checking on Peeta. Because he was in Command, he had to talk in code.

"Gale, it's Haymitch. I'm calling to check on Peeta."

"Why ask me? Shouldn't you talk to Boggs?"

"So he is doing fine. I suspected as much. You left a special bow here, which is being sent tomorrow. You promised you would look after this bow."

Gale glanced around. Something in Haymitch's tone alerted him to a problem. He had no special bow back at thirteen.

Realizing this call concerned more than a check on his rival, he motioned to Katniss to follow him, and walked several steps away. He held a finger to his lips, but held the receiver so she could hear.

"Is this bow a person?"

"Yes."

"Family?"

"Yes."

"Mine?"

"No."

"Katniss's family?"

"Correct."

Katniss's mom?"

"No."

Gale and Katniss exchanged a look of realization.

"Prim is on her way here?"

"Yes."

"Is her mother approving?"

"No."

"But, she's being sent anyway."

"Yes."

Katniss vigorously shook her head and pounded her fist into her hand repeatedly. Her breathing quickened and she stomped her foot repeatedly. No one messed with Prim, she'd spent her life protecting her.

"When? Tonight?"

"No."

"Tomorrow?"

"Yes."

Katniss's face turned red, and her eyes looked wild. Protecting Prim was more important to her than her life. It always had been. She yanked the phone from Gale.

"Over my dead body, Haymitch!"

Gale grabbed the phone back and placed his finger over his mouth again, signaling Katniss to be quiet. She did quiet down, but paced back and forth like an angry caged lion.

"Is anything being done about this?"

"Yes."

Boggs walked up. "Wrap it up, Hawthorne."

"I need to go. Yes, Peeta is doing ok. I'll watch out for Katniss, too."

After Gale hung up and handed the phone to Boggs, Katniss exploded.

"No! No! No! I am not going to allow them to send Prim here! She can't come to the Capital, I won't allow it."

"Haymitch said he's doing something about it, but he couldn't say what. We have to trust him."

"Gale, we have to do something. She could be killed." Katniss was pacing back and forth wildly.

Gale placed his hands on her shoulders, stopping her motion.

"Katniss, we are hundreds of miles away. Haymitch and your mother are there and they won't let them send her. My mother is probably helping them."

Finnick joined them. "Send who where?"

Katniss started pacing back and forth again. "Coin is sending Prim here as a medic! Prim! My thirteen year old sister."

By now, all of squad 451 was surrounding Katniss. They were all angry that Prim was being sent to the Capital. As Johanna had once stated, everyone loved Prim.

Gale turned to Boggs. "Can they do that, send such a young child here?"

Boggs was quiet for a moment. He had children of his own that he didn't want anywhere near the Capital. What was Coin thinking?

"If she is sent here, I'll do something."

"What?"

"I don't know what yet, but I'll do something."

"Haymitch told me he had a plan, but couldn't say what. Hopefully, whatever it is, it works."

"If Coin harms one hair on her head, I'll…"

Gale realized Katniss was about to get herself in trouble by threatening harm on Coin. He grabbed her face with his hands and planted a kiss on her lips. Stunned, she stopped and stared at him.

"You were about to say something we'd all regret. Watch what you say, Catnip."

.

.

.

.

.

It was 0530 in thirteen. In the dining room, 1200 citizens of twelve and thirteen tightly stood guard around Prim, arms locked.

In front of them all was Haymitch and Lily.

President Coin walked up to the group. "What is this?"

Haymitch spoke for the group. "We are not going to allow you to force Primrose Everdeen to go serve as a medic in the Capital."

"I don't think that it's anyone's decision but mine."

Lily walked up to the woman. "I am her mother. She is a child of thirteen and I will not allow her to go to the Capital."

"It's not up to you."

Haymitch walked up by Lily. "Actually, it is. If you want Prim, you'll have to go through all of us. We're fighting this war so children won't be sent into the arena every year anymore. But now you want to send a thirteen year old with no military training to war. That's really not much different."

"I order all of you to disassemble."

"We can't do that. Not while Prim is in danger."

Everyone tightened their lock on each other's arms. Coin looked at the group assembled before her. It was over half of the population, all assembled to protect Katniss's sister. To force the girl to the Capital now could turn her whole district against her.

She remembered a scene from the Quarter Quell. Katniss had been trapped in an arena segment while jabberjays flew around her. Their calls sounded like her loved ones, including Prim, were being tortured. After the hour was up, all Katniss's allies had to convince her that Prim was not in danger.

Johanna's statement at the time is what stood out to President Coin the most.

"The whole country loves Katniss's little sister. If they tortured her or did anything to her… forget the districts. There would be riots in the damn Capital."

President Coin knew she could not afford to alienate her whole district just to send Prim to the Capital. She needed their support.

"Very well. You all have spoken. Primrose Everdeen will stay here in thirteen."

A cheer went up. Lily, Hazelle and Haymitch looked at each other and let out a sigh of relief. Prim was safe. She wouldn't be sent to the front lines after all.

Haymitch got a call through to Gale.

"I didn't send the bow."

"Prim isn't coming?" Gale said it loud enough for Katniss to hear. She jumped up in relief.

"No. I didn't send it. You'll have to collect it at a later date."

"Thank you, Haymitch."

Katniss grabbed the phone again. "Thank you, Haymitch. Tell my mother thank you, and Hazelle, too."

"Will do."

Katniss handed the phone to Boggs and let out a sigh of relief. Prim was safe, away from the Capital where she never belonged in the first place. She silently vowed to make sure Coin payed for planning to endanger Prim.


End file.
